Method and apparatus for processing strip

ABSTRACT

In the continuous processing of strip in which the expandable uncoiler mandrel at the entry end of the processing line has a larger diameter than the expandable coiler mandrel at the exit end of the line a resilient sleeve is provided to permit reuse of a leader strip which pulls prime strip through the line after shut downs. The resilient sleeve has a slot extending across its width, an internal diameter greater than the unexpanded diameter of the coiler mandrel and an external diameter greater than the unexpanded diameter of the uncoiler diameter. The sleeve is placed on the uncoiler mandrel prior to coiling the leader strip and then removed from the coiled leader strip to permit placing the coil on the uncoiler mandrel.

. [45] Patented United States Patent [72] Inventor Craig B. Watt3,365,144 1/1968 Daub 242/78.1 [2 1 pp No gzfiiz Primary ExammerGeorgeF. Mautz 22 Filed o:.s, 1969 July 20,1971

[73] Assignee United StatesSteel Corporation [54] METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR PROCESSING 2,703,685 3/1955 Stephan:

6 PROCESS/N6 Assistant Examiner-Gregory At Walters Alt0rneyMartin J.Carroll ABSTRACT: In the continuous processing of strip in which theexpandable uncoiler mandrel at the entry end of the processing line hasa larger diameter than the expandable 'coiler mandrel at the exit end ofthe line a resilient sleeve is provided to permit reuse of a leaderstrip which pulls prime strip through the line after shut downs. Theresilient sleeve has a slot extending across its width, an internaldiameter greater than the unexpanded diameter of the coiler mandrel andan external diameter greater than the unexpanded diameter of theuncoiler diameter. The sleeve is placed on the uncoiler mandrel prior tocoiling the leader strip and then removed from the,coiled leader stripto permit placing the coil on the uncoiler mandrel.

PATENT M20 sum 1 or 2 PROCESS ING L l/VE INVENTO/P ERA/6 B WATT AIra/nay METHOD AND APPARATUS lF Ulllt llhOChlSdilNG S'll'itll? Thisinvention relates to a method and apparatus for processing strip andmore particularly to continuously picltling steel strip. In theprocessing of the strip, it is placed on an uncoiler in coil form andfed through the pickling line to a coiler on the exit end of the line.The trailing end of one coil of strip is welded or otherwise fastened tothe leading end of a second coil so that the process is continuous.However, when the line is shut down for a substantial period of time, itis necessary to remove all prime product from the line. A leader strip,also in coil form, is attached to the trailing end of the last primecoil end and pulled through the line and then cut off from the primeproduct and its leading end attached to the coiler. The leader stripremains in the pickling line during shut down. When the line is againstarted in operation, a prime coil is fastened to the trailing end ofthe leader strip and pulled through the line. It is common to usecoilers and uncoilers having an expandable mandrel including grippingmeans for the leading end of the strip. In some processing lines, thediameter of the coiler mandrel is less than the diameter of the uncoilermandrel. Thus, it is not possible to reuse the leader strip because itcannot be placed on the uncoiler mandrel. While the leader strip is notmade of prime material, it does have considerable value so that it isdesirable to eliminate this loss.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a method ofprocessing strip continuously in which the leader strip may be readilyreused.

Another object is to provide strip coiling apparatus in which the coilformed has a larger inside diameter than the coiler mandrel.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a strip processing line;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sleeve used in the practice of myinvention;

FIG. 3 is a view of the sleeve of FIG. 2 mounted on a coiler mandrel incollapsed position; and

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 3, showing the mandrel expanded.

Referring more particularly to the drawings reference till-- meral 2indicates an uncoiler having an expandable mandrel. A similar uncoiler lis provided adjacent coiler 22. A welder 6 is provided on the exit endof the uncoilers. Strip 8 to be processed, passes from the uncoiler 2 toa processing line 8 and then to a shear l and a coiler 12. A similarcoiler lid is provided adjacent the coiler 112. Both coilers are of theElipanding mandrel type. The mandrels of the coilers are of smallerdiameter than those of the uncoilers. After the strip is unwound fromuncoiler 2, its trailing end is welded by the welder 6 to the leadingend of a second coil mounted on uncoiler 4 and the processing of thestrip is then continued. When the desired amount of strip hasaccumulated on the coiler 12 the shear lllll separates it from theremainder of the strip which is then fed to the coiler 1M and woundthereon. The operation is continued in this manner with coils of stripbeing unwound alternately from uncoilers 2 and d and wound alternatelyon coilers i2 and lid. When the line is to be shut down for any longperiod of time, a leader strip in coil form is placed on the unoccupieduncoiler and its leading end welded to the trailing end of the stripbeing processed and pulled through the line. After the leading end ofthe leader strip reaches the shear lid it is separated from the trailingend of the prime strip and then connected to the unoccupied coiler. Whenthe line is again started in operation the leading end of a prime stripis welded to the trailing end of the leader strip by the welder 6 andthe prime strip pulled through the line. The trailing end of the leaderstrip is then cut from the prime strip by the shear 10. The processingthen continues as before. The parts and operation so far described areconventional.

According to my invention I provide a resilient sleeve 16 having a slotlid extending across its width. Aluminum has proved to be a veryacceptable material for the sleeve. The sleeve lid has an expandedinternal diameter substantially equal to the expanded diameter of thecoiler mandrel and an unexpanded internal diameter greater than theunexpanded diameter of the coiler mandrel. The expanded externaldiameter of the sleeve 16 is also greater than the unexpanded diameterof the uncoiler mandrel. In one specific installation the recoilermandrel has a diameter of 22% inches and an expanded diameter of 24inches, the uncoiler mandrel has a col lapsed diameter of 25 inches andan expanded diameter of 30 inches, and the sleeve in has a wallthickness of We inches, an expanded outer diameter of 27 inches and anunexpanded outside diameter of 26% inches.

Any suitable standard coiler mandrel may be used. That shownschematically in H03. 3 and 4 is of the type disclosed in Wingard Pat.No. 2,920,837 dated Jan. 12, I960. The man drel includes a generallysquare shaft 20 having a radial slot 22 in each of three sides. A tongue24 of a quadrant segment 26 is received in each slot 22. T he fourthside of shaft 20 has a cylindrical groove 28 in which segments 30 arepivotally mounted. A gripping jaw M is pivotally mounted in eachsegment. Bali. A mandrel expanding rod 32 received within shaft 20 has aspider 3d connected thereto. Wedge bars 36 arranged between adjacentsegments 26 and between each segment 30 and segment 26 adjacent theretoare slidably mounted in radial grooves 38 in shaft 2%. The spider 341has four arms M), one for operating each wedge bar 36.

in processing strip according to my invention the operation is the sameas that described above. However, prior to winding the leader strip onthe coiler, the sleeve 16 is placed over the collapsed mandrel with theslot 1% in alignment with the opening between gripping jaws 31 as shownin FIG. 3. The leader strip S is fed through the slot 18 and between thejaws 31 and the mandrel expanded in the usual manner by moving rod 32axially which moves the wedge bars 36 outwardly so that the strip isgripped between jaws 3i as shown in FllG. 4. The coiler is then operatedto wind a portion of the leader strip thereon. Movement of the leaderstrip is discontinued while its trailing end is still on the uncoiler orat least not past the welder 6. The leader strip remains in thisposition as long as the processing line is shut down. W hen it isdesired to start the processing line in operation, a prime coil isfastened to the trailing end of the leader strip and the leader strippulls it through the processing line. The shear W then separates thetrailing end of the leader strip from the prime strip and the operationthen proceeds as before. The coiled leader strip is removed from thecoiler mandrel and is ready for reuse. This is possible because, priorto placing the coiled leader strip on one of the uncoilers, the sleeveto is removed from the inside of the coil by means of a crane operatedC-iiOOlt, so that the inside diameter of the coil of leader strip has agreater diameter than the collapsed diameter of the uncoiler mandrel.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made.

Iclaim:

l. The method of processing strip in a processing line having anuncoiler with an expandable mandrel at its entry end and a coiler withan expandabie mandrel at its exit end, the uncoiler mandrel having alarger diameter than the coiler mandrel; which method comprisesproviding a resilient sleeve having a slot extending across its width,said sleeve having an expanded internal diameter substantially equal tothe expanded diameter of said coiler mandrel and an external diametergreater than the unexpanded diameter of said uncoiler mandrel, placingsaid sleeve on said coiler mandrel, feeding a leader strip through saidprocessing line and coiling its leading end on said coiler around saidsleeve, attaching the leading end of a strip to be processed to thetrailing end of said leader strip, pulling the leader strip and attachedstrip through the processing line until the leading end of the attachedstrip has passed through attached strip, then removing said leader stripfrom said coiler mandrel and said sleeve, processing said strip to beprocessed, placing said coiled leader strip on said uncoiler mandrel,then attaching the leading end of said leader strip to the trailing endof a strip in said processing line and pulling it partially through saidline, and then separating the leader strip from the trailing end of theprocessed strip.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes shutting down the processingline with the leader strip extending therethrough, then attaching a coilof strip to be processed to the trailing end of said leader strip in theprocessing line, then pulling the leader strip and attached stripthrough the processing line until the leading end of the attached striphas passed through the processing line, then separating said leaderstrip from the attached strip and then removing said leader strip fromsaid coiler mandrel and said sleeve.

3. In combination with a strip coilcr having a collapsible mandrel, aresilient sleeve having a slot extending across its width, said sleevehaving an expanded internal diameter substantially equal to the expandeddiameter of said coilcr man drel and an unexpanded internal diametergreater than the unexpanded diameter of said mandrel.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which said mandrel has a slot thereinfor receiving said strip, and said sleeve slot is of

1. The method of processing strip in a processing line having anuncoiler with an expandable mandrel at its entry end and a coiler withan expandable mandrel at its exit end, the uncoiler mandrel having alarger diameter than the coiler mandrel; which method comprisesproviding a resilient sleeve having a slot extending across its width,said sleeve having an expanded internal diameter substantially equal tothe expanded diameter of said coiler mandrel and an external diametergreater than the unexpanded diameter of said uncoiler mandrel, placingsaid sleeve on said coiler mandrel, feeding a leader strip through saidprocessing line and coiling its leading end on said coiler around saidsleeve, attaching the leading end of a strip to be processed to thetrailing end of said leader strip, pulling the leader strip and attachedstrip through the processing line until the leading end of the attachedstrip has passed through the processing line, then separating saidleader strip from the attached strip, then removing said leader stripfrom said coiler mandrel and said sleeve, processing said strip to beprocessed, placing said coiled leader strip on said uncoiler mandrel,then attaching the leading end of said leader strip to the trailing endof a strip in said processing line and pulling it partially through saidline, and then separating the leader strip from the trailing end of theprocessed strip.
 2. The method of claim 1 which includes shutting downthe processing line with the leader strip extending therethrough, thenattaching a coil of strip to be processed to the trailing end of saidleader strip in the processing line, then pulling the leader strip andattached strip through the processing line until the leading end of theattached strip has passed through the processing line, then separatingsaid leader strip from the attached strip and then removing said leaderstrip from said coiler mandrel and said sleeve.
 3. In combination with astrip coiler having a collapsible mandrel, a resilient sleeve having aslot extending across its width, said sleeve having an expanded internaldiameter substantially equal to the expanded diameter of said coilermandrel and an unexpanded internal diameter greater than the unexpandeddiameter of said mandrel.
 4. The combination of claim 3 in which saidmandrel has a slot therein for receiving said strip, and said sleeveslot is of sufficient width to receive said strip.
 5. The combination ofclaim 4 in which said sleeve is made of aluminum.